Track-sander.



PATENTED -21 11. WATTERS.

TRACK SANDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

fimfiV/ai e729, wltnesses nventor,

z b 1 g ,j[& 9 I I Fittomegs UNITED STATES Patented November 1, 1904. I

JOHN HENRY VVATTERS, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA. i

TRACK-SANDER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent N0. 772,909, dated November1, 1904.

Application filed May '7. 1904. $eria1 No. 206,924. (No model.) 7

T0 at whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, JOHN HENRY WATTERS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Augusta, in the county of Richmond and State to provide atrack-sander of that type in which a trap is employed, with a means forcreating a pressure in the delivery-pipe, which extends between thesand-box and trap.

-A further object of the invention is to pro- Vide a track-sander inwhich the sand is subjected to pressure to cause itsflow to the de--livery end of the pipe.

A still further object of the invention is to provide means forregulating the quantity of sand discharged from the box to the track.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sander which maybe readily transformed from a pressure to a gravity feed by the engineerwhile on the road.

WVith these and other objects in view, as will more fully hereinafterappear, the inven tion consists in the novel construction andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appendedclaims, it being understood that various changes in the form,proportions, size, and minor details of the structure may be madewithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof the invention.

In the accompanying drawings there is shown a track-sander constructedin accordance with the invention, portions of the structure being brokenaway in order to more clearly illustrate the operation. 7

In track-sanding devices in use at the present time it is usual topermit the flow of sand by gravity from the box direct to the track, acontrolling-valve being disposed in the bottom of the box and connectedto an operating-handle within convenient reach of the engineer. Anotherform of sander in common use employs a trap in the delivery-pipe, and insaid trap or a point adjacent thereto is placed a nozzle, through whicha jet of air is discharged in order to carry the sand. from the trap,and it has also been proposed to force the sand directly from thesand-box through the delivery-pipe by means of a jet of air deliveredthrough a nozzle. All of these devices'are more or less objectionable,those in which gravity alone is relied upon for the feed becomingclogged and those in which a jet of air is employed transforming thedevice into a sand-blast mechanism and the parts being very rapidly wornaway.

In carrying out the present invention a trap is employed for thereception of the sand from the box and a quantity of sand will beretained in the box in readiness for use.

From the sandbox A leads a pipe 1, which discharges through a trap 2,that may be of any suitable shape and dimensions, but in the presentinstance is shown as provided with a slightly-curved bottom portionleading to a delivery-pipe 3, through which the sand falls to the track.In the upper end of the deliverypipe is seated a removable tube havingboth of its ends contracted in order that either end may be placed inposition in the mouth of the pipe, and said tube is simply held inposition by gravity, or it may be fitted sufliciently tight to retainits place. Immediately above and in alinement with the tube is a threaded opening 5, into which is screwed a removable plug 6 for conveniencein cleaning the trap from obstructions, and when the plug is taken outthe tube-section may be readily removed and then replaced without theexercise of any special care, inasmuch as either end will fit within theupper end of the delivery-pipe.

The discharge-opening, when the tube-sec tion is removed is within theangle of pile of the sand, so that should circumstances require theengineer may remove the tube 4. and transform the device into agravity-feed sander.

Connected in the pipe 1 at a point above the trap is a coupling 8, towhich is also connected an air-supply pipe 9, through which air isforced under pressure when the sander is in use. Into a threaded openingat one side of the coupling extends a valve-plug 10, which may bescrewed in or out to vary the quantity of sand delivered through thepipe in accordance with requirements or in accordance with the qualityof the sand, some of which is more loamy than others and requires alarger opening than the finer and drier grades.

In the operation of the device the air-pressure is normally cut off andthe sand will flow by gravity from the box and will fill the trap to apoint determined by the angle of flow of the sand, but not to an extentsufficient to permit any of the sand to flow over the top of tube 4. Ifthe engineer Wishes to discharge sand onto the track, he permits air toflow under pressure to the pipe 9, and under this direct pressure thesand Will be forced downward through the pipe 1 and a portion of thesand in the trap Will be forced over the top of the delivery-tube 4 andWill pass through the pipe 3 to the track. The sand in that portion ofthe pipe 1 above the air connection Will be held from displacement bythe sand in the bottom of the box and there will always be sufficientsand in the box to form the necessary backing for effecting theexpulsion of the sand from the trap when air under pressure is admittedto the pipe 1, this being assisted of course by the frictionalresistance to the flow above the air-inlet, as Well as by the fact thatthe coupling 8 is placed nearer to the trap than to the sand-box. Shouldthe air-pressure fail from any cause, the engineer may readily removethe tube 4 and transform the device into a gravity-feed sander. It isobvious that any obstructions,such as caked sand or gravel, in the pipeabove the air-pipe may be cleared by temporarily plugging theoutlet-pipe near the track and then forcing air under pressure throughthe pipe 9 in order to force the obstructions back into the mainsand-box, the agitation of the sand loosening it and resulting in a morefree and regular discharge.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is- I 1. In atrack-sander, a trap, a sand-supply pipe leading thereto, and means forintroducing a volume of air under pressure into the body of sand held insaid pipe at a point in advance of the entrance to the trap.

2. In a track-sander, a trap, a sand-supply pipe leading thereinto, andmeans for introducing a volume of air under pressure into the pipe at apoint in advance of the connection of the latter with the trap, therebyto force sand through the pipe and trap.

3. In a track-sander, a trap, a supply-pipe leading thereto, means forintroducing air under pressure to the supply-pipe, a dischargepipeleading from the trap, and a removable tube arranged Within thesand-trap and fitting Within the mouth of said supply-pipe.

4. In a track-sander, a trap, a sand-inlet pipe leading from thesand-box to the trap, a sand-outlet pipe leading from the trap to thetrack and having its mouth arranged Within the angle of pile of sand inthe trap, a removable tube arranged in the mouth of the discharge-pipeand tending normally to prevent the flow of sand therethrough bygravity, and means for forcing sand under pressure through theinlet-pipe.

5. In a track-sander, a discharge-pipe leading from the sand-box, and aplug adjusted in said pipe and having a rounded end portion, said plugserving as a valve to regulate the flow of sand.

6. In a track-sander, a sand-box, a sandtrap, an inlet-pipe leading fromthe sand-box to the trap, a casing arranged in the inletpipe, anair-pressure-supply pipe coupled to the casing at a point near the trap,a removable adjustable plug also arranged in said casing and serving toadjust the available cross sectionaliarea of the pipe, and adischargepipe leading from the trap to the track.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

JOHN HENRY WATTERS.

Witnesses:

M. J. MURPHY, THOS. J. Porn.

